Means for synchronizing and harmonizing moving-picture exhibitions



' R. H. HATFIELD. v MEANS FOR SYNCHRONIZING AND HARMONIZING MOVING PICTURE EXHIBITIONS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 26. I9I9x I 1,352, 1 26; PatentedSept. 7, 1920.

III

I L g. J?-

I I I- u a as m /0 10 I 1202 IZOE. I203 I203 avwewlto z -28 SL JQ'I'LIE: 61 6 6014412 I ,5;

' and to provide systems of indicators adapted control the m STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

' RICgABD H. HATFIELD, 0F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

v MEANS FOR BYNGHBDNIZING AND HABMONIZING MOVING-PICTURE EXHIBITIONS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 28, 1919. Serial No. 328,562.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I RICHARD H. HAT- FIELD, a citizen of the ilnited States, and a resident of the cit of New York borough of Brookl n, intiie county of Kings and State of ew York, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Means for Synchronizing an, Harmonizing Moving- Picture Exhibitions, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. 7

Among the principal objects which the present invention has in view are: to-multiply the performances exhibiting photo- 1 graphic iproductions and musical and other sound e ects associated with the same; to

synchronize-the operation of moving pictureprojecting machines in correspondence with a master machine; to continuously advise an o erator at a branch station of the relation 0? the machine being operated by him with that of the machine at the master station;

for comparison.

Drawings.

Figure: 1 is a schematic view of a master exhibit and auxiliary exhibits electrically connected therewith.

Fig. 2 is a detail view showing a fragment of photographic film used in projecting machines employed for producing moving pictures.

" Fig.3 is a detail view indicating a diaam of the projecting machines employed in the master exhibit. 1

Description. The present invention has inv view to connect a'main or master exhibition with auxilopiegation condition of the projecting mac e of the main exhibition, soithathe ma plrojecting machine in-his branc or minor ex 'bltion in harmonyor time with the musical composition produced in the master exhibition and communicated to the branch exhibition telephonically.

With this end in view the master exhibition A'is furnishedwith a sound collecti device or me aphone 8, which is provide with telephonic transmitting means for communicating' 'efiects over the wires 9 to receiver 'megaphones 10 having telephonic re-v ceivin instruments attached thereto. The megap ones 10 are multiplied and distributed in the branch or minor exhibitions B, of which there are two shown in the drawings. The megaphone 8 is disposed in advantageous juxtaposed relation to the orchestra pit 11 in'the exhibit A, so that the musical sounds roduced by the orchestra in the pit are simu taneously heard in the master exhibit A and in the branch exhibits B.

The music of the orchestra in the main exhibit A is usually complementary to the photographic re roduction being thrown on the screen 12 y the projecting machines 13, of which there are usually two. Each of the 'machines 13 is driven by electric motors 14, current for which is supplied from electric mains when the switch 15 is closed. The purpose in using two machines in exhibitions of the character mentioned is to avoid the delays incident to the-"adjustment of succeeding reels. Both machines are operatively connected with and drive rotary timers 16. The timers 16 are electrically connected by distributing circuits 17 with odometers 18 situated in the branch exhibits B in view of the operator of the projecting machines 19 in the branch exhibits.

The knife switch 20 in the master exhibit is employed when the operator transfers the use of the-projectin machine from one machine to the other. t is evident that the timers 16 on each of the projecting machines in turn operate upon the odometers 18 in the branch exhibits, with the'result that in the branch exhibits the odometers 18 continue to progressively add to the numbers;

A timer 21 is electrically connected in each of. the branch exhibits with the odometers 22. The odometer 22 is paralleled to the odometer 18 in each-of the branch at the branch exhibits may be maintained,

the motors 23 at the branch'exhibits are furnished with current by a circuit embodying a rheostatic device having resistance segments 24, which may be cut in or out as the case maybe, to accelerate or diminish the speed of the motors 23 for Patented Sept. 7, 1920.

securing synchronization of the picture productions.

To further insure the synchronization of the picture productions the films as shown in Fig. 2 are provided with progressive additive series of numbers imprinted on I the margins of the films, so as to be viewed by the operator through a spotlight in the side of the film reel or projector head. Usually the speed of the projecting machine is sixteen photographic reproductions to the second. The numbers are imprinted on the film in series of sixteen each, or sixteen numbers of one volume are imprinted which means that in the spotlight for the view of-the operator sixteen numbers of the same power will be shown so that he can see the successive numbers as they pass.

To avoid the disastrous eflect of the breaking of a film in the master production A for destroying the continuous run'of the odometers 18 to keep up with the branch exhibits the projectors 13- as shown in Fig.

3 of the drawings, usetwo or duplicated films 25. When using the duplicated films it will be understood the films are run simultaneously and preferably by the same intermittent mechanism or intermittent mechanisms having unit control. The eliminating member 26 with the condenser 27 provided-therefor are both mounted on a carriage 28, so that they may be shifted from the position shown in full lines of Fig. 3 of the drawings to the position shown in broken lines of said'Fig. 3, with the efiect that the light traveling through the films 25 is moved from the one film to the other film, and this without loss of time. Time is thus afforded to the operator in which to splice or make other repair to the ribbon which has broken. In this manner the operation of the odometers 18 at the branch exhibits B is maintained constant.

From the foregoing it will be understood that an exhibit including photographic and musical reproductions may be carried on at a master. exh1b1t and reproduced simultaneously or synchroneously in a number of branchexhibits', the music being transmitted telephonically. From this it is evident that ahi h class musical performance maybe secure at relatively low cost, to be distributed and shared by an increased audience with considerably less, if any, added expense By synchronizing the perneaaiae formances the added pleasure of the dual efiect of music selected with reference to the optical production maybe secured and dispensed to audiences which otherwise could not be thus provided because of the relatively high cost of production thereof.

While the present disclosure is shown in the drawings as employing the odometers 18 and 22, it is obvious that other means of registration between the machines at the master exhibit and the machines at the branch exhibits may be employed. One substitution is evident in the drawings where by having the odometers 18 only at the branch station these could be compared with the numerals on the margin of the film 25 to secure similar results. Therefore the invention in its broader sense is not confined to the instrumentalities employed for carrying it into efi'ect for the reason that the instrumentalities so employed may be substituted by a number of well known devices for securing similar results.

. Claims.

- 1. Means for synchronizing and harmonizing moving picture exhibitions comprising, a master stereopticon projecting machine; a plurality of branch projection machines located at distances from said master machine; a plurality of electro-mechanically actuated devices for indicating, visibly, at the operating station of said branch machines, the movement ofsaid master machine; means operatively connecting said devices, said means embodying an electrical supply and distributing circuits connecting said devices for operating the same in unison, and means for varying the speed of said branch machines. I

2. Means for synchronizing and harmonizing moving picture exhibitions comprising,

bodying means for producing visible performances, and audible performances, comthe'combina'tlon of a master exhibition em ing moving picture exhibitions comprising,

the combination of a master exhibition embodying means for producing visible perfoi-mances, and audible performances, com plementary to said visible performances; a plurality of branch exhibitions adapted for producing similar visible performances; telephonic apparatus communicating between said exhibitions for reproducing, telephonically insaid branch exhibitions, audible performances of said master exhibitions; and

' means communicating between. said exhibivformances.

4. Means for synchronizing and harmonizing moving picture exhibitions comprising, the combination of a master exhibition embodying means for producting visible performances, and audible performances, complementary to said visible performances; a

' plurality of ranch exhibitions adapted for producing similar visible performances telephonic apparatus communicating between said exhibitions for reproducing, telephonically in'said branch exhibitions, audible performances of said master exhibitions; and means operativel connecting said master and branch exhibitions for indicating the relation of the visible performances at said exhibitions. I

. 5. Means for synchronizing and harmonizing moving picture exhibitions comprising, the combination of a master exhibition embodying means for producing visible performances, and audible performances, com-' plementary to said visible performances; a plurality of branch exhibitions adapted for producing similar visible performances; telephonic apparatus communicating between said exhibitions for reproducing, telephonically in said branch exhibitions, audible performances of said master exhibitions; means operatively connecting said master and branch exhibitions for indicating the re lation of the visible performances at said exhibitions; and means located at each of said branch exhibitions for varying the rate of speed of the performances there produced.

6. Means for synchronizing and harmonizing moving picture exhibitions comprising,

the combination of a master exhibition em bodying means for producing visible performances, and audible performances, complementary to said visible performances; a

v plurality of branch exhibitionsadapted for producing similar visible performances; telephonic apparatus communicating between said exhibitions for reproducing, telephonically in said branch exhibitions, audible performances of said master exhibitions; and means operatively connecting said master and branch exhibitions for indicating the relation of the visible performances at said exhibitions, said means embodying mechanicalindicators for showing the progression of said master exhibition at the operating stations of the branch exhibitions.

7. Means for synchronizing and harmonizing moving picture exhibitions comprising, the combination of a master. exhibition embodying -means for producing visible performances, and audible performances, complementary to said visible performances; a plurality of branch exhibitions adapted for producing similar visible performances; telephonic apparatus communicating between said exhibitions for reproducing, telephonically in said branch exhibitions, audible performances of said master exhibitions;

and means operatively connecting said mas- ,tively connected with operating station of said master exhibition.

RICHARD HATFIELD. 

